A Personal Perspective on Biotechnology's Progress in a Golden Era (and how Jay Bailey saw it all coming)

Much has changed in biotechnology over the last few decades, but much has remained the same. As a graduate student in Jay Bailey’s research group in the early 1980s, I was introduced to a field undergoing vibrant expansion and mentored by one of its most influential and visionary thinkers. As biotechnology was burgeoning from the development of powerful genetic techniques and a renewed integration of engineering principles, Bailey was among the first to recognize the revolutionary potential of exploiting molecular biology in an engineering context, from manipulating heterogeneous populations of protein molecules and whole cells to quantifying and redirecting metabolic pathways. Molecular-level analysis, mechanistic modeling, and a reaction engineering approach to molecular biology were hallmarks of Bailey’s early bio program. These signature attributes continue to propel modern research in the field, and comprise the foundation of past and present research in our own program, which has encompassed evolving techniques of biocatalysis, protein engineering, and cellular engineering for applications ranging from drug discovery to biofuel production. This presentation will highlight pertinent accomplishments from our group in these areas and show how many of them can be traced back to the influence and foresight of Jay Bailey.